Imagine reading a text without looking at any screen, but instead viewing the message off of lenses in your eye. It may sound like some sort of far-off sci-fi concept, but the technology could soon become reality.

Belgian researchers from Ghent University have devised a type of contact lens that allows electronic messages sent from mobile phones to be projected directly onto the wearer’s eyes. The spherical, curved LCD displays the projected images using wireless technology.

The scientists recently demonstrated their technology by displaying a dollar sign directly onto the lens. Ultimately, however, the entire surface of the contact lens will be used to project images and messages.

“Now that we have established the basic technology, we can start working towards real applications, possibly available in only a few years,” Professor Herbert De Smet told the Daily Telegraph.

The same researchers also hope to adapt the lens to serve as sunglasses that can accommodate different levels of sunlight.

“This is not science fiction,” project chief researcher Jell De Smet said. “This will never replace the cinema screen for films. But for specific applications it may be interesting to show images such as road directions or projecting text messages from our smartphones straight to our eye.”